The Livelong Newsletter

Happy Friday,

Quick shout out to the state of New Hampshire for being the healthiest state in the U.S., according to 2023 data from America's Health Rankings 🎉.

Four of the top five healthiest states are in the Northeast, including Massachusetts, Vermont, and Connecticut. Minnesota rounds out the top five.

In today’s issue:

• The happy hormone for Alzheimer’s treatment.

• Not all fasting is the same.

• You don’t need alcohol to be intoxicated.

• And more.

We love to hear from you—our community. Please share your feedback, stories, questions, testimonials, ideas, and more with us at [email protected].

WISDOM FOR LIFE

👁️‍🗨️ SPOTLIGHT

The “happy hormone” becomes a possible Alzheimer’s treatment

Most Parkinson’s drugs currently target dopamine, also known as the “pleasure hormone.”

Targeting dopamine may treat the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a story in Newsweek.

• In a recent study (Science Signaling), researcher Naoto Watamura and a team from RIKEN Brain Sciences Center (Japan) looked at the effects of an FDA-approved Parkinson’s medication (levodopa) for aging mice with Alzheimer's symptoms. 

The drug improved amyloid beta levels (which may cause Alzheimer’s disease) and partially reversed cognitive deficits.

How does dopamine affect Alzheimer’s development? 

• Dopamine regulates neprilysin activity—neprilysin is part of the brain’s “cellular cleanup crew” and degrades amyloid beta protein clumps, according to the article.

• As we age, neprilysin production decreases. This can worsen risk of amyloid beta build-up (and consequently, Alzheimer’s).

• Increasing dopamine production may promote neprilysin activity, which could prevent these dangerous protein clumps from developing.

LIVE MORE

Alzheimer’s updates

• 🚿 Shower thought: If dopamine can prevent neurodegenerative disease, are you less likely to get dementia if you are happy and produce dopamine throughout your life?

• ☑️ Reality check: Current treatments might not cut it for most Alzheimer’s cases.

• 💊 New drug: In a recent UCLA study, DDL-920 stimulated and reactivated damaged brain neurons in mice with Alzheimer’s disease.

DIET

Fasting terminology CHEAT SHEET

There is an official international consensus on fasting terminology.

An international team of scientists participated in a panel to create an official list of fasting terminology, recording findings in Cell Metabolism.

“The application of fasting has proven to be beneficial and popular,” said scientist Eric Ravussin of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge. 

“We wanted to ensure researchers, dieticians, nutritionists, and fitness instructors are aligned with clear, universal terminology,” he says.

The team—which included scientists who specialize in dietary approaches to extend healthy lifespan—collectively agreed on twenty-four terms, based on five online surveys.

Listed are the official definitions of the most common fasting practices.

📰 IN OTHER NEWS

Game of Thrones and the test for facial blindness

Game of Thrones is more than a show about dragons and family power dynamics. 

In a recent study, researchers used clips from the hit HBO series Game of Thrones to better understand face blindness (prosopagnosia), a condition characterized by the inability to recognize faces. 

They learned that the condition may be associated with reduced neural connections, says senior author Tim Andrews, a professor from the Department of Psychology at University of York, in a press release.

Facial recognition is also shown to be dependent on physical attributes, as well as knowledge about a person (i.e., body language, feelings toward them, and character traits), Andrews said.

Other stories:

1. Yogurt is healthy—adding honey could make it healthier.

2. Getting stronger doesn’t require maximal output.

3. The downside of wearable devices.

4. Losing someone close to you may speed up biological aging.

• 😶‍ 1 in 50 people have facial blindness: curious about yourself? Take the test here.

WELLNESS WATCH

Water intoxication

They say too much of anything is not a good thing: water is no exception.

Healthy people are experiencing ‘intoxication’ from drinking too much water—water intoxication occurs when water dilutes too much sodium and electrolytes in the blood, according to a recent article in Wall Street Journal.

• Symptoms: disorientation, nausea, vomiting, and seizure or death in severe cases.

How much is too much? More than 1 liter per hour increases risk of electrolyte dilution, says Thunder Jalili, a professor of nutrition and integrative physiology at the University of Utah.

Current water recommendations: Doctors recommend drinking to satiate thirst, which can vary from person to person.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommends women and men consume about 11.5 cups and 15.5 cups of fluids a day, respectively.

• This includes fluid from water, other drinks, and food.

POLL

LONG-LEVITY

Bandages with electric fields: the next generation of affordable wound healing

Scientists created an inexpensive bandage that uses water-powered electric stimulation to heal wounds 30% faster than a traditional bandage.

Co-author Sam Sia, a researcher and professor at Columbia University, explains how the bandage works.

• Electrodes on the bandage are placed directly on the wound.

• A drop of water is added to the water-powered, electronics-free dressing (WPED).

• The water activates the battery, which creates electrical field stimulation that lasts for hours.

This bandage will be especially helpful for chronic wounds caused by conditions, such as diabetes.

Findings are based on a mouse model study, which was published in Science Advances.

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🔔 One more thing: Don’t forget to catch up on the last newsletter

Check out last week’s feature to uncover why you can’t resist sugar (hint: it’s not your fault).

About Livelong

Our goal is to provide you with credible and actionable information about health and longevity so you can live a longer and healthier life and guide you toward making insightful decisions that support you during your health and longevity journey. 

Have feedback for us? Email us at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health care professional before starting any exercise, wellness, or health program. Nothing in our content, products or services should be considered, or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Livelong is a media company and not a medical provider. We try to give the most accurate possible, but sometimes information is subject to change.